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KILN — Natchez High School head football coach Steve Davis said earlier last week that he was expecting his MHSAA Class 5A Bulldogs to come into Class 6A Hancock High School expecting to defeat the Hawks.

Not upset them as most other people would have called it. But knowing that they were going to win. Mission accomplished. Led by senior quarterback Kaden Walton, the Natchez High Bulldogs came away with a season-opening 58-50 win over the Hancock High Hawks.

“Offensively we played well. We went tempo. Tempo, tempo, tempo. We wore them down in the second half,” Davis said. “We were up 30-27 at the half. First half, we didn’t play the kind of football we wanted to play.”

Even with the amount of points Natchez High scored in the first half, Davis said the Bulldogs had too many penalties and made too many unforced errors for his liking, adding that his players were at times “too undisciplined.”

That being said, the Bulldogs made enough plays on both sides of the ball, especially after halftime, to come out victorious.

“We started getting stops in the second half. My hat’s off to Kaden. He played a hell of a game. Ashton Minor, Jekari Douglas, Ken Chatman, they did a good job at receiver. They came through for us. They made big-time plays catching the ball,” Davis said. “Jekari had a 70-yard touchdown pass for our first touchdown of the season.”

He said this win could be the catalyst for a big season for the Bulldogs as long as they stay focused and ready for each opponent.

“It’s huge. It sets the standard for us the rest of the season. We were coming here to win,” Davis said.

Natchez High (1-0) will have its home opener next Friday at 7 p.m. when the Bulldogs welcome McComb High School to Tom F. Williams Memorial Stadium.